VOM Designates Israel a “Hostile” Nation for Christian Believers

VOM Designates Israel a “Hostile” Nation for Christian Believers

This month’s newsletter from Voice of the Martyrs highlights persecution that Christians face in the Holy Land. The group says it anticipates some might be offended by its “position of highlighting Israel as a hostile nation.”

In a Facebook post, VOM further expounded on their position. “While most persecution against Christians in the Holy Land is at the hands of radical Muslims, believers are also persecuted by anti-missionary Jewish activists,” the post reads. “The activists sometimes spray graffiti on Christian churches in what are called ‘price tag attacks’ (exacting a price on anything that seems to threaten Jewish sovereignty). A few months ago, they painted ‘Jesus is a monkey’ on a church that is a major pilgrimage site for Christians.”

The group cites several cases of persecution against Messianic Jews as well as other believers in the Holy Land.

“The country's laws and policies provide for religious freedom and the government generally respected religious freedom in practice,” according to the 2012 Report on International Religious Freedom by the U.S. Department of State. But the report also indicates a negative attitude among Jews toward missionary work in Israel.